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Today I file a complaint with the State Ethics Commission asking for an investigation into whether NC House Speaker Tim Moore and NC Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger have violated state ethics laws by using their leadership positions to intimidate and interfere with judges considering constitutional challenges to laws enacted by the NC General Assembly. The assault on the judiciary includes changes to judicial elections, judicial redistricting and a blunt statement of “profound consequences”.
Former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr, Republican, has said of current judicial changes that “cooking the books” to make sure a certain crowd is represented “is fundamentally wrong.” and “I’m disappointed in my fellow Republicans for pushing that kind of bad agenda.”

For Berger and Moore judicial changes further consolidate their individual power as legislative leaders allowing them to continue enjoy the rewards of higher compensation and generous political contributions. For example Moore’s campaign spent $536.89 on lodging 8/13/17 at the luxury Umstead Hotel in Cary. Berger’s campaign monthly reimburses his own law firm $1,500 for office rent, supplies and services and his own YPD Properties LLC gets another $1,500 monthly in rent presumably for a Raleigh townhouse owned by Berger at an address which forms the acronym.

For the past seven years House and Senate leadership have left no stone unturned to find ways to build, consolidate and retain political power. Even as judges over-turn many such stones as unconstitutional Berger and Moore yet stoop to stone the judiciary.